Improvement in the manufacture of malleable iron and steel



. y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BESSEMEE, or LoNnoN, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTUREIOF MALLEABL IRON AND STEEL. V

I Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 5L399, dated December 5, 1865.

To alliufhom it may concern: V Be it known that l, HENRY BESSEMER, ot' Queen Street Place. New Cannon Street,'in the city of London, in the Kingdom ot' Great Brit- .malleable iron and steel by forcing currents ot" air into molten crude iron, aspatented by me November 11, 1856 5 and it consists in improvements in the structure, movement, arrange-I ment, and situa-tion and repairs of convertingvessels, and in the method and means ot' supplying air thereto; also, in the ladles and other apparatus, and in the methods employed for weighing and retaining the heat of and mixing converted and unconverted metals. To enable this specification to be better understood, l have included therein, andin the accompanying drawings, various mat-ters which pertain to the inventions heretofore made by me, to which theseitnprovements are additions,

.Y To enable others skilled in theart to more fully understand and construct and use my invention, I will proceed .to describe the nature and operation ot' the same. Y

In the `,1nanufaeture ot malleable iron and .steel direct from Huid crude iron, or from remelted pig or refined iron, great facilitiesA are obtained .by giving axial motion to the converting-vessel, whereby the tuyeres may be made to assumesuch aposition that the whole of'the lmetal may be run into the vessel before the blast of air is turned on. The process can also be arrested at the desired moment by a like chan ge ot' position of the vessel and tuyeres, so that the blowing need not continue during the discharge of the converted meta-l; .but when single masses of cast malleable iron or steel are required ot' a weight varying from twenty to forty tons, more or less,

` the movable converting-vessel, with its necessary appliances, becomes a very cost-ly'apparatus, and from its great weight is somewhat difficult to manage. I therefore prefer to use for very large charges ot' metal a fixed vessel constructed in the manner represented in vertical section at Figure l, Sheet A, and lin elelization at Fig. 2 on Sheet B, of the drawings t y I,

hereunto annexed, Fi 0. 3, Sheet A, being a plan of the underside of the partition b, shown in Fig. l.

The converting-vessel a consists` ot' an up- -right cylindrical vessel, made ot' strongplateiron and lined with ganister,or tire-brick, or other refractory material, as shown at at. It is `divided into three parts, attached together by ilanges-and bolts, as shown at a' audaz.I The converting-chamber a. has a fla-t cast-iron partition, b, having strong ribs b* formed on its under side, and is provided with numerous conical openings, as shown at 0*, Fig. 3', into which the tire-clay tuyeres c are titted, the-converting-chamber consisting ota vertical cylinder, lined in the usual manner, and having a tlat bottom or partition and a domed top, terminating in an inclined opening, a5, similar to the tops ot' the movable converting-vesselsnow l in use. u Belowthe converting-chamber I form a shal- Iow chamber or receiver, d, with an inclined bottom, (1*,terliilili1tiiigin a spout, c. This receiver, being also lined with brick, loam, or ganister, is covered over-by the iiat partition b of the convelting-vessel shown at Fig. 3, and which consists of an iron frame having numerous conical holes, into which the tuyeres are iitted. The bottom c3 of the receiver is provided with a tlange, c4, by means of whiclrit is secured to the iron plates of which the cylindrical part ot the vessel a is formed.

The space within and above the flange at is filled with ganister, with its surface inclined at an angle downward toward the spout e. The mouth ot this spout is formed with a molded and baked piece ot' tire-clay, et, through which the molten metal flows, and is thereby prevented from coming in contact with the iron tubular projection y",forined on the side ot1 the vessel. A cap of metal, g, is hinged to the upper part of the tubular piece f, and has its face accurately fitted to the surface of the piece f, so as totorm, whenl pressed down by a suitable lever, a nearly air-tight joint, the cap gheing arranged on a joint, so as to be suddenly lifted up into the position shown by dots at gi, and thus allow the metal to ow t'romvthereceiver cl into the. ladle h whenever the blowing operation ceases. The receiver d is lined with bricks or loam, and is provided with a manhole at i, by means ot which access maybe had for the purpose of putting in new tuyeres when necessary.

On the top of each tuyere a flat circular cap able opening made in the side of' the vessel for that purpose, as shownl at k.

The hole is then stopped with loam, and the valve on the blast pipe being opened, the air will fill the receiver tl, and, pressing on the under side of the tuyerecaps m, will immediately displace them 4and pass upward through the metal, and thus clearly define the time of commencing the process, which may be as suddenly arrested bythe simultaneous shutting of a suitable valve on the air-pipej and the openingof the orifice or spout e et' the receiver. The metal, being no longer supported by the pressure, ot' air, will rapidly descendv throughthe numerous tuyere-holes into the receiver d, and,passing through theinclined spout, may be received in a large fixed o1' movable ladle, 71., provided with a valve or plug in the usual way, as shown at j). Y

Before running the converted metal into the mold t it may be recarbonized by the addition of' a carburet of iron, or it may be alloyed or stirred or otherwise treated, as maybe desired.

The tuyercs may, it' preferrethbe inserted through the sides ot' the vessel, instead ot through the bottom of it, and thus blow in horizontally, or nearly so, in which case the tyuere should have a bent passage formed in it, so that on ceasing to blow the metal may find its level by running up the tuyeres without doing further injury to the apparatus, the metal in such case being tapped out through a suitable openin gl at the lowest level of the vessel, the orifices of the horizontal or inclined tuyeres before named being protectedfrom the metal running into them by a disk or cap, as before described.

The recarbonization or alloying of the converted metal may take place in the convertingvessel or in the ladle. x

It will be obvious that convertingvessels constructed as hereinbet'ore described may be employed in the con version of small charges of crude molten iron into steel or into malleable iron,althou gh such vessels are specially adapt ed for the conversion of very large charges of' metal. Although I have'described such vessels as fixed vessels, in order to distinguish them from vessels having axial motion, I nevertheless desire it to be understood that such vessels may be made' movable -on wheels, so as to be readily removed to or from the casting-pit; or the upper part of such vessels may be removed by a crane, the vessel'being divided at a level somewhat above the level ofthe charge of metal, or divided on alevel with the upper ends ofthe tuveres. The upper portion ofthe vessel may thus be removed'to facilitate the repai'r'of the tuyeres or it may, after the conversion of a charge of' metal, beat once placed over another set of tuyeres and the process of conversion be repeated. It is obvious that this method of' covering the orifices of the tuyeres may be employed, when desired, in vessels having axial motion. l

. The second `part of' my invention. relates to improvements in the mode of' changing and repairing the tuyeres employedin converting vessels. In the drawings I- have shown this mode of' changing and repairing tuyeres in vessels having axial motion; butI it is obvious that it is applicable to converting-vessels which do not have axial motion.

In order that this portion cfm y said invention maybe f'ullyunderstood, I have here-unto annexed a sheet of` drawings (marked B)'where on-the said apparatus is in' part represented. I

Fig. '2, Sheet A, is a vertical section of the convertingvessel 'and of the' hydraulic apparatus employed `for lowering the bottom of the converting-vessel when the tuyeres require to be changed. This figure shows the tuyere-box and bottom of` the vessel removed. Fig. 2, Sheet O, is a .vertical section taken through the hydraulic apparatus employed to give axial motion to the vessel, the latter being shown in elevation.- This figure also'shows in' section the standard or support on which the axis of the vessel rests. Fig. 3, Sheet C, is 'a front elevation of' the convertingvessel and both of the standards or supports on which it rests;

and Fig. L1, Sheet C, is a horzontal'crosssection through the hydraulic cylinder shown in Figs. 2Sheet A, and 2, Sheet C. This converting-vessel. isalso shown in vertical section at Fig. 5, Sheet B, with the bottom of the vessel and tuyere-box fastened thereto. tional plan of the convertingvessel -is also shown at Fig. 6, Sheet B, and at Fig. 1 on Sheet D I have also shown, on a larger scale, a vertical section through'the axis and airvalves, and at Fig. 2 on thesame sheet a cross-section through the axis of the vessel.

The same letters are employed on Sheets A,

, B, C, and D to denote a repetition of the parts -i'n the several figures in which this apparatus is shown. l l

, In carrying this part of' my invention luto practicalV operation, I m ake the converting-vessel a with a movable bottom, ai, the lining of the vessel a' being supported during the removal of the bottom bya ring of iron or steel, b, bolted to a stout hoop, c, riveted around the lower part of the vessel a. The tuyere-box d is bolted to the movable bottom at, andis provided with three wheels, e, by which it .is-

wheeled away in conjunction with the bottom of' the vessel, and is replaced by another bottom of' precisely similar construction whenever the tuyeres require to be repaired. Several tuyeres are employed, one of' which 1s shown in vertical section at j' in Fig.l 2, Sheet A.

When making vessels according to my presentinvention several movable bottoms are proare fastened to Athe under side of the vessel by -means ot' the cotters and bolts g provided for that'purpose, and thus a succession of charges 0f metall may rapidly followaftereach other without the delay heretoforeoccasioned.by

setting a' fresh set ot tuyeres with wet genis-` terin the vessehandl consequently withoutthe employment of the fuel in the vessel now used,

to dry them and heat 'them before they are A hydraulic ram, h, placed belowvthc center of the vessel, is emp oyed to lower and raise the bottom of the vessel and tuyere-box whenever. it requires tobe changed. The ram or plunger 'h isformed into ahemi'sphere' at 'itsl upper end at h, which Eltsinto a socket'formed on the under sideof the strong ribbed plate t'. The lower end ot' thc'ram is fittedv into a hydraulic cylinder, j, the joint being formed by a --leathe'r ring or cup inthe usual way'. A pipe, lr, conveys water Ainto the ycylinder, by which means the movement of the ram iscontrolled.

The large opening formed by the removal of the bottom ot' .the'vessel will allow the liningv (when too .much worn) to be removed through itvwithont thenecessity ot' taking o' -the'np- Iper part of thevessel, as heretofore practiced.

No upper joint in the vessel is therefore made. A. sound joint is made at thejupction of the movable bottom with the vessel vby a little lute,

as shown at Q, Fig. 2, Sheet A. It may be' formed ot" lire-clay and ganister or other suitable tire-resisting plastic material. Thislute is laid in a circle around the group of tuyeres,

and at such a distance beyondthemthat it will -be pressed between the under side of the lining otl the vessel and the upper surface of the movable bottom. This lute is ltrmly compressed by the hydraulic ram before referred to, after fwhich thev cotters are driven home. 'Ihclute employed is so small in quantity as to he rapidly dried on its surfacey when exposed to the heated interior of the vessel.

-' It will be observed that in this form ot' converting-vessel the tuyeres may be spread over pipe lined with rire-brick or loam, in lieu of the vbrick chimney heretofore used to convey he heated vapors andame issuing from the vessel. O ne method of suspending a chimney is shown on Fig. 5, Sheet E, ot' the accompanying` drawings, where A. is the convertiing-ves sel, B a wall ot' the building, C the roof', and D the chimney, suspended by the rods E E; or the chimney ma y rest on one or more girders running` from wall to wall, in which caseI the chimney may be wholly of brick. lAnother advantage due to omitting the bottom part of the ordinary chimney is thata crane, F, Fig. 5,

Sheet E, can swing entirely around over=the converting-vessel and under the. chimney.

l'Ihe motion ot' the vessel o'riits axis I prefer to eftectby means of n hydraulic cylinderand vpiston acting vertically direct upon aspurwheel on the axis ot' the vessel, (in lieu of thel horizontal hydraulic apparatus heretofore employeth) such piston being actuated by water underpressure in a manner well understood. In carryingl into practice this 'part of my said invention, I .construct a support for the vessel of-a hollow pyramidaltbrm, asshown at l... The

upper part projects forward, and is form ed into a double plumber-block, l* 1*. which supports the axis ot' the'vessehon which a s'purwheel, m, is keyed. The support l also projects fo' ward at toot-and supports thc upper tlange, uit, of. the hydraulic cylinder n. In this cylinder ,isfitted a'piston, o, having a doubleset ot' leathers,vsoyasto form a water-tight joint in both directions. The piston-rodpisl'ormedintoa rack at pt, gearing into the wheel m, so that when. water under sufficient pressure is admitted by the pipe q be'neath'the piston the movement of it upward will lower the mouth ol'thc convert ing-vessel, while a reversal of the valves will allow the Water to escape trom ,bencath the piston and admit the water under Apressure above the piston, and produce a motion of the vessel in an opposite direction. The

other axis of the vessel is also supported on a' hollo vvpyramidal casting, the upper part being formed into a plnmberblock. and the foot ot" the casting forming a support for the piper and equilibrium-valve s, (shown on a larger scale in section at Fig. 1, Sheet D.)

" Iusteadot' forming the axis W ot' the vessel hollow, for le air to pass through in the ordinary. 'umnner,I prefer to iit'upon the axis a tube, t, having ribs t* formed along the inside thereof, which lit tightly against the axis ot the vessel, while the vspaces between these ribs form channels, along which the air passes to a chamber, t2, into which the p'ipen is fitted. The exterior of thetube t is titted to the plumberblock, andis provided with a stut'ling-box atc, so as to keep an air-light joint with the pipe t0, which communicates directI with the equilibrium-valve. .Qn the flange ol' the stntlingbox o a disk or cam, 2, is tilted, which moves round with tue axis ot' the vesse', and by the inclines formed on itsy periphery` it moves up and down the lever mand thus raises or lowers Athe valve s at the proper time. One end ofthe lever x is jointed to the 'top of the |.il'umb'erblock cap and the other vend passes through a slot inthe valve-rod, vwhich isguidedlby the arched castin g y. The valve is retained in its el. arm H, and is capable ot' being raised or 10wseat by thema-ll z, which is secured to the top valve-rod. Inordertot'acilitatethereniovalotthetuyere- -box when required, the pipe Qi, Fig, 3, Sheet C,

is provided with a sliding piece, A, having a stuffing-box formed at its upper edge and a stud, B, formed at each side. The tuyere-box d has a projecting pipe, (1*, formed on it on one side, its end terminating` in an elbow, the up; per surface ot' which is truly faced and made .to fit againstthe loweredgeof the sliding piece A, so that whenever the tuyere-box has to be removed it is only necessary toloosen the screw U and remove the bridle-piece D fromthe studsA -of the bottom ot' the vessel on the tloor-levcl of the building. When lowering the .bottom f 'of the lvessel the wheelse will rest on the tloor,

. as shown at F, Fig. 2, Sheet A.

When a charge of metal has been con verted.

into malleable iron or steel by the forcing of atmospheric air below its surface, an addition thereto of molten pig-iron in small'quantities is generally made when treating iron that has been melted with mineral fuel, a carburet ot'l iron containing silica and manganese in astate of alloy being preferredfor that purpose. Now, 1t1s very necessary that this mixture of metals,

' if made, should be as complete as possible.

lt is alsol desirable that the metal, after such addition ot' carburet of iroirhas been iliade,

y should bc'exposed as little as possible to the vaction of atmospheric air until after the mass has become solidih'ed i'n the molds. In order to etl'ect a thorough mechanical mixture ofthe converted and unconverted metal, I fix up a vertical-revolving shaft, by means of brackets projecting from the wall ot' the convertinghouse, in such a position that the casting-ladle may be brought directly under it. 0n this shaft I tix cross-arms, paddles, or screw-blades 'ot' iron, coated with loam, tire-clay, or other suitable slowconductor of heat, and by enginepower 1 put the shaft and paddles in motion. This arrangement is shown on Sheet E ofthe annexed drawings, where Fig. 4 is an elevation ot' the mixing apparatus, with the castingladle beneathit in verticalsection.

A frame, A, is .bolted tothe wall of the buildin g, and serves to support the verticalshat't B, which receives rotatory motion from the beveled wheels U and D.

At E is a socket, into which the axis F ofthe paddle or agitator G is keyed. This axis and the paddles are roughened or pert'oratedinor;`

der the better to retain a coating ot loam or tire-clay employed as a means of protecting the apparatus from direct contact with the molten metal.

Theladle is supported at the end of the craneered when required.

The alloying metal may be put into the castingeladle before or after or during the pouring in of the converted metal, or the metals may be put together into the converting-vessel before the converted metal is poured out of it. As soon as the whle of the metal is 'in the ladle the crane is to be moved round until the ladle sbeneath the paddle-shaft. The paddles are then put in motionand the ladle raised'bythe' crane-ram. The ladle maybe moved gradually up and down, or the paddle-shaft may,yif desired, be made to inove upward and down'- ward in addition to.v its rotatory motion, or it maytnrn trst one way round and then the reverse, or a simple reciprocating motion may be given to the paddle or agitator, the object in either case being to agitate and-mechanically mix the tluid particles :1s-completely as possible, and thus produce therefroma homogeneous mass ot' metal. Other modes ot' actuating the paddle will readily'snggest themselves to yleable iron or steel produced from crude or cast iron by the forcing of atmospheric air into and among the particles ot' molten iron, whether `such alloying metal be added thereto in a nioltcn, granular, or solid state.

Vhen the degree of Carburation ot' converted metal islto be regulated by thc'addition thereto of a carburet of iron after the converting process has ceased, andalso when any definite alloy isto be made with such converted metal and some other metalLit is of greatimportance that the actual weight ot' metal to be carbureted or alloyed should be first ascertained, in

order thatvthe weight of metal to be added thereto may be determined on. To effect this object with accuracy, and to insure the desired temper or qualityot' each charge of metal, l

support the casting-ladle on a series ot' levers attached to 'the casting-crane, such levers being made and worked in' a similar manner to those employed in ordinary weighing-machines, and which are well understood.. The empty ladle having its counterbalance-weight adjusted, the metal may be run into it from the convertingvessel and the weight taken. The carburet of iron or other alloy may be slowly added until the desired proportion is indicated by the action of theapparatus, whenthe Whole may bel agitated and mixed in the manner hereinbe fore described 5 or, in lieu of constructing the crane in such manner as to weigh the uid metal, l prefer thata suitable weighing-,ma-

. chine may be txed in the casting-pit in such although the tuyeres hereinbefore mentioned may be made ot` thc ordinary form-that' is, a

a position that the casting-crane may pass. over it, the arrangement for hol-ding the ladle-clito the crane being such that lthe ladle of metal kmay be lowered onto the platform of the'said weighing-machine and again lifted up with as little delay as possible. l

. And inorder that thearrangement which I prefer ot' detaching the casting-ladle from the crane and placing it on the weighing-machine may be fully understood, l have shownv the casting-ladle in elevation at Fig. 1 and in plan at Fig. 2, and also in elevation, detached from the crane and resting ou the weigliing-inachine,in Fig. 3, Sheet E of the annexed drawings. The

axis I of the ladle haskeyed uponit a Tpiece,.

N, the upper part of which receives two-conical-ended pins, l? I. These pins are-fixed firmly into the hoop Q, which embraces the up per part of the ladle. A similar hoop', R, passes round the lower part of the ladle, and is pro'- vided with lugs Rit, between which the lower.

limb, Nit, ofthe T-piecevis fitted. A-hole is made through-tl1eselugs,in order to secure the ladle in place while turning the ladle round on its axis. \Vhen the crane-arm is turned round so as to bring the ladleover the-weighingmachine the crane is to be lowered until the ladle is made to rest its` -three feet S S S onto the table Z of the weighing-machine. The further.

movement downward ofthe crane-arm 'will withdraw' the pins P P from the T-piece, 'and thus allow the ladle to rest its entire weight 4`'freely on the weighing-machine. The upward movement of the crane-arm will reattach the ladle as before. I

And, further, I desire it to be understood that lindrical opening of somewhat larger diameter made inthe tuyerc or passage conducting air into the metal. The shape ot' the tuyerc-ori.- tices and the position they bear with reference to each otherwill be fully understood by refverence .to Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, l1, and 12 on vSheet 1), veach figure representing that end ofthe tuyere from whichthe air passes into thc metal. Having described the several parts or' my invention and the manner in which the same maybe carried into practical operation, l desire it to be understood .that I do'not 'confine myself to the precise details herein given, provided the essential parts ot' my said improvements be retained; but

l/Vhat I claim in the manufacture of inalieable iron and steel is 1. The employment of a converting-vessel i ipose of faclhtating the mixing,

having a receiver formed beneathit, into which the air fis forced beroreentering the 'tuyeres and into which the converted metal is -received when the forcing in ot' the air ceases.

Goveriugoritices of tuyeres i-n convertingvessels so as to prevent the access of metal or other matters thereto until the blast of airis applied beneath such covering.

3. Making the joint between the upper and lower divisions of a converting-vcsselabove `theievel of thee-barge of tluid metal, substantially as show-n.

4. Constructing the converting-vessel in such a manner that the contained fluid metal, when not supported by the pressure ot' the air, may descendthro'ugh the tuyere'-holes, when such 4vessel is provided With any suitable means for conducting thel metal into a ladle or mold. 5. Mounting converting-vessels on wheels', so that they may be movable to or from the casting-pit. substantially as described.

6. Employin g the upper partici' one converting-vessel over the lower part of another converting-vessel, so as to hasten or facilitate-a repetition ot the convex-tin g process,substan' tiall y as set forth. 1

7. The'en'iploymeut in converting-vessels of a movable bottom, to which the tuyere-box is attached.

8. Providing several movable bottoms containing' tu'yeres and capable of being attached to a con vertin g-vessel, substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. Setting tuyeres in a detached portion of a converting-vessel, substantially as' and for the .purposes described.

Drying or vbaking the detached portion of a converting-vessel, together with the tuyeres therein contained, prior to connecting sai '1. `irtion to the vessel.

11. Heating the movable bottom and the tuyeres therein co'ntainedpreparatory to commencing the converting process, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. Substituting a tunnel or chimney ot' suitable material suspended froui the roof, or se' cured in such a manner as to afford afrce open space around the convcrtuig-vesscl, 1u heu ol' the chimneys heretofore used opposite to the mouth of each converting-vessel, substantially as and i'orthe purposes described.

13. The combination ot' a converting-vessel mounted on an axiswith a piston and rack lplaced in a vertical position for giving motion to such converting-vessel,substantially as de scribed.

14. Conveyingthe blast through a tube surrounding the axis ot' convertiiig-vessels,'in lieu ot' passing it through theaxis, as heretofore practiced, substantially as described.

l5. Constructing tuyeres the oriiicesotwhich are formed or arranged substantially in the manner represented in Figs. 7, S, 9, 10,11,and

12 on Sheet D of the drawings annexed.

16. rlhe employment ot' a rotary, semi-rol ary, orreciprocatin g paddle or agitator, for the pur carhonizing,

o1' alloying' of converted with nncom'erted` metal. v

17. Covering the surface of the metal while in the ladle, substantially in the manner de'- sorbed, in order to lessen the escape of heat therefrom.

18. Coating the paddle or agitator with loam or other` slow conductorv of heat, substantially I as and for the purposes described.

19. (lonneeting th;` ladle with the oranearn) or other meclian'isniby which snehladle is supported by any suitable means that will enable the contents of the ladle to be weighed, sul

stantially as and for the purposesdesoribed. 20. The mode of attaching the casting-ladle toand detaohing it from the ei'am--arnx or liftin g apparatus, substantially as described.

HENRY EssEMER'.

W itnesses A. L. TTOLLEY, A

havin Roemenen, 

